Chapter 165

After loading all their bags into their rental, car Alex secured Phoebe in the car seat and closed the door as she and Ryan looked at each other waiting for someone to offer driving. "It's my first time here I don't know how driving around here works." Ryan said looking at her but Alex shok her head. "It works exactly like it does in the States, Ryan. Come on." She said and got into the back seat with her daughter wordlessly making the decision that she will not be driving and he sighed as he got behind the wheel.

"Just follow the signs." Alex said ad Ryan looked at her with an expression that caused her to laugh. "First of all, Alexandra I have no idea where I am or how to pronounce any of these words, or even having an idea of where I'm supposed to be going." He said looking around him anxiously. "These people are driving like maniacs." Ryan stepped on the breaks as a car swerved in front of him without giving the correct signal.

"Yeah, this is home. Welcome to India." Alex smiled tapping his shoulder.

"Babe I cannot drive like this." Ryan said honking when someone jumped a red light. "Now I see where you get your driving skills from." He mumbled.

"Hey, I heard that. We'll be out of this chaos soon, turn right at the second traffic light and then continue down that road and turn left at the end." She directed from the back seat glancing over at her daughter who was sleeping soundly. As he drove down the street as his wife directed him, it was surprisingly calmer than where he was a few minutes ago and the scenery that was so crowded and over populated also seemed to end, as this looked like it's not part of where they've just departed from.

"Okay where now?" Ryan asked driving down the road slowly taking in the scenery.

"The last house on the left." Alex said surprised to see that not much has changed in her childhood, or most of the neighborhood, as some of the landmarks are still the same although some street names have changed over the years. "Here we are." She said and with a heavy heart she woke Phoebe up, and picked her up while looking up and down the street before walking down the pathway to the front door, Ryan following behind her nervously. "I can sense your nervousness from here." Alex said looking behind her. "That's because I am, I don't know what to expect, and after what you told me last night I'm even more scared." He admitted as Alex knocked on the door twice before opening it.

"Hello? Grandma?" Alex asked as she walked through the house, Phoebe sitting up on her mother's arm as she takes in her new surroundings, the colorful house decorate with little candles and photographs on the walls as they walked down the passage.

"In the kitchen." Came a reply while Ryan looked at the pictures and saw recognized Alex and Danika on some of the pictures, looking like they were up to no good as they were covered in mud, with curly pigtails on either sides of their heads.

"Look who's here!" Her grandmother smile where she was busy stirring in a pot, and the smell of fresh baked cookies hung in the kitchen. "It's so good seeing you, Alex." She beamed looking up at them while Ryan lingered in the doorway, not sure if he should enter further or not.

"And you must be Phoebe, hello sweet girl." Phoebe looked at her mother not sure if she was allowed to go to the strange lady but Alex nodded her head as her great grandmother took her.

"And you're Ryan. It is so nice to finally meet you in person."

"Nice to meet you Mrs Parrish." Ryan smiled as they exchanged a hug. Alex was standing at the counter eating cookies that just came from the oven, looking at the other four trays of dough that still had to be baked.

"I hate that name. Only my mother in law called me that because she didn't like me. So you can call me Ramashni, or Grandma or anything else besides Mrs. Parrish." She explained and Ryan nodded in understanding.

"Alex, get away there what makes you think those cookies are or you?" Her grandmother asked and she looked like a kid in a candy store who was caught taking handfuls of sweets that they were not allowed to.

"I just assumed they were." Alex shrugged, moving the tray over to the counter where Ryan sat and offered him some as well.

"Some things never change." Ramashni murmured walking over to the fridge and giving Phoebe a chocolate which the toddler gladly accepted as her great grandmother placed her on top of the counter while she indulged in some chocolate. "Now why does Phoebe get chocolate and I don't?" Alex asked.

"Because your daughter has manners and it seems like you don't. Would you like some coffee Ryan?" Ramashni asked. "That'd be nice thank you."

"Okay, I see how it is grandma, just remember who was here first." Alex said as her grandmother made the coffee when there was a knock on the front door and Alex offered to go see who it was.

"I don't believe it! Alexandra Booth what are you doing here?" The woman on the other side asked and Alex was just as surprised to see her.

"Miss Mullins! It's so nice to see you." Alex smiled broadly and happy to see her high school principal. It was a bit strange that she and her grandmother seems to be friends but it didn't bother her anyway, or not right now. The two of them walked through to the kitchen where she met the rest of the family.

"You're married? And have a child? When did all of this happen? You make me feel extremely old right now." Miss Mullins said as she couldn't believe what she is seeing.

"This is my husband Ryan, and my daughter Phoebe." Alex introduced them as Ryan got up from his seat and shook hands with the newly acquainted Miss Mullins. "This was my high school principal, and I am sure she was extremely glad when I finished."

"Alex was in my office at least once a week. She'd been suspended for fighting for a week. A real bully but she turned out well. And all the girls were afraid of her." Miss Mullins told Ryan who looked in awe as he couldn't believe his wife was such a rebel.

"Are we talking about the same person who's in the room right now?" Ryan asked and Miss Mullins nodded and laughed as Alex nudged his shoulder.

"Stop ganging up on me." Alex laughed.

"But she turned out well on the other side, although all of us had some doubts at times. Especially when Danika was around with her, oh my goodness the two of them were horrible."

"I cannot imagine Danika to be like that." Ryan said.

"You'd be surprised, the two of them were always in the same class and when they were separated because they were talking too much, or refused to work, Alex would tell me it's no use moving her because she'll talk to the person in front of her anyway. And that's what she did."

Alex shook her head, "don't believe them I was bad but not that bad." She laughed while Miss Mullins talked to a chocolate covered Phoebe. Her parents were surprised to see she was actually talking to people she saw for the first time and wasn't being introverted, not that they'd think their daughter knew how to be an introverted person.

"How old are you Phoebe?" Miss Mullins asked and picked her up despite the fact that she was covered in chocolate, but Ramashni came around with a damp cloth and wiped her mouth and hands. Phoebe held one finger in the air indicating her age.

"Oh wow, such a big girl. And can you tell me what's your mother's name?" Miss Mullins asked and she pointed in the direction where her mother was sitting next to her father.

"Ah-wex." The toddler announced proudly smiling down at the lady.

"And your father's name?" She asked and Phoebe pointed in the direction of Ryan, "Dada."

"Alright, daddy's girl I see." Miss Mullins laughed, handing Phoebe to Ramashni, and she actually remembered what she came over for before she was being distracted by her old scholar, and catching up with them.

"Wow, who's coming over next? Seems like there is so much you haven't told me about your younger days." Ryan said but Alex looked at him and shook her head.

"You know enough." Alex laughed, pulling the family album closer and opening it, to see if any new pictures were added to it, surprised by how thick it has become. When it came to pictures her grandmother was really old school, and did not believe in digital pictures, because according to her it does not have the same value. Alex explain some of the people to Ryan and giving him a brief background on who is who and what they are like.

"She doesn't look like a rude person the way you're describing her." Ryan said when they came across a picture of Anaiah.

"She's worse Ryan. I don't know where I went wrong with that daughter of mine, she doesn't know when to keep quiet. And is very opiniated." Ramashni, said when she assumed they were talking about her daughter. "Whatever Alex told you about her is true. I hope Danika gave her boyfriend the background on her as well." Ramashni said when she remembered that the two of them were also on their way, and that Malik wasn't Indian either.

A car stopped in front of the house, but none of them took note of it, until they heard footsteps at the backdoor. "Speak of the devil, she never uses the front door." Ramashni whispered and pointed towards the back door picking Phoebe up on her hip and kissing her.

"Gigi!" Phoebe laughed and placed a hand on her great grandmother's cheek when the backdoor opened.

A short woman, with neatly short cut hair entered the back door, too busy on her phone to take note of what was happening. "Hi Ma. Sorry I'm late I got held up at wor…" She looked up and saw three unfamiliar faces although one face looked fairly familiar.

"Alex." Anaiah said nodding her head in her direction and looked at Ryan with a frown and looked at Phoebe who was sitting on Ramashni's arm.

"Ryan, this is my father's sister, Anaiah." Alex said and Ryan got up and attempted to shake her hand, but the look she gave him in return made him pull his hand back.

"Hhhmmmm, never thought I'd see the day a white man married a murderer." Anaiah mumbled loud enough so they could hear.

Ramashni intervened and looked up at her daughter sternly. "That's enough, Alex has been trying to be polite towards you since you've entered and you have been the exact opposite."

"Yes Ma, but we can't pretend that none of it ever happened. See why Rajesh never wanted to marry you, because you were so violent. I at least hope this little brat you're raising won't turn out killing your white good for nothing husband." Anaiah added looking at Phoebe.

Alex had to bite on her teeth not to say anything but she was at wits end and have had more than enough with this aunt of hers. "I know you don't like me ever since the whole ordeal with dad. You can talk to me how you want, but you're not going to do it with my husband and my daughter aunty Anaiah."

"Alex." Ryan said softly from next to her but she dismissed it and continued.

"It might not look like it, but I've paid for what I did in more ways than one and not a day goes by that I don't feel guilty about it. And yes my husband is white but who the hell cares! He's amazing and ten times the man than all three of your failed husband and marriages were." Alex exploded and looked at her grandmother who still had Phoebe on her arm but even her daughter was silent right now.

"I'm sorry for disrespecting you and your house in this manner grandma, I didn't mean to. I think it'll be better if we leave. I'll see you tomorrow. Come on bub, say bye to Gigi." Alex said walking towards her grandmother to get her daughter as Phoebe kissed Gigi's cheek, and Alex hugged her grandmother as she walked out with them.

"I'm sorry you've had to witness all of that Ryan, I don't know where I went wrong with that child of mine." Ramashni apologized once they were out to the car.

"It's fine, you don't have to apologize." Ryan said sincerely as he hugged Ramashni and the little family got back into their rental car and drove to the hotel they booked for their week's stay. Although at this point Ryan had no idea if they will still be here for the week, as his wife was silent the whole way back besides when she had to direct him on the traffic lights and where to turn off. But this was not the usual type of silence, it was the kind that made him uncomfortable and he it'll only be a matter of time before his wife explodes for a second time.